1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates data interchange. More particularly, this invention pertains to a circuit for synchronized interchange of data between locally dedicated signal sources of a distributed configuration in which each signal source is provided an allocated controller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The presence of a processor for use as a dedicated controller is common in many distributed configuration measurement systems (e.g., a plurality of sensors). This permits one to view a modern distributed configuration sensor system as a set of interactive units capable of interchanging data in a distributed processing configuration. A communication network must be provided to allow data interchange to take place to take advantage of such an arrangement. Until now, the synchronized processing of a complex communication protocol in, for example, the arrangement of a plurality of inertial sensors, such as gyros and accelerometers, has caused considerable problems. The available processing power, usually an ASIC, was devoted exclusively to solution of the main problem, i.e. control of the instruments (signal sources). Delivery of useful data is currently provided by placing it on a register that can be mapped into an external controlling computer memory. Such solution requires complex wiring to transfer the data to the main computer and an additional, independent process to synchronize the times at which measurement values are taken.